SPECTRE

SPECTRE, Daniel Craig's swan song (possibly),is the most generic of
all four post-Brosnan films. There are loads of chases and
fights, a couple of Roger Moore-style gags, and even one or two Bondian
quips, a rarity in the Craig era. The film works on the same
level as THUNDERBALL, LIVE AND LET DIE, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS or
TOMORROW NEVER DIES. That is - there is nothing in this Bond film
you haven't seen in any other Bond film.

That's okay, because all four of those films are still fine entertainment, as is
SPECTRE. The problem is that the filmmakers were going for much
more. For the first time since the sly, slapsticky opening to FOR
YOUR EYES ONLY, the series brings back both Ersnt Stavro Blofeld and
his evil organization Spectre. The film should have been one of
the best, and it isn't. Especially irritating is the new trend of
casting against type ("You know who would make a great Lex
Luthor? Jesse Eisenberg!") which gives us Christopher Waltz as
Blofeld. I haven't seen him in anything else, but as one of the
great literary villains of all time, he's a washout.

Still, I've watched the movie twice, two
weeks in a row (first at home, and then showing it to a friend) and was
entertained both times. SPECTRE may not be the movie it should
have been, but it does wrap up Daniel Craig's excellent run (possibly) in a way
that provides a satisfying closure than no other actor who played James
Bond ever had. ½ - JB

"Goodbye, Mr. Bond." (Not the most original line, but a fitting one for this film)

HEY THERE, RALPHIE-BOY!

It goes without saying that Ralph Fiennes is an excellent actor,
memorable in such films as SCHINDLER'S LIST, QUIZ SHOW, THE GRAND
BUDAPEST HOTEL and, of course, the Harry Potter films. He
replaced Dame Judith Dench as M at the end of the previous film SKYFALL
but had little to do. Thankfully, this time around, he gets to do
more than just sit behind a desk, and actually participates in some of the
action near the end of the film. It remains to be seen if he will
be back when the "new Bond" takes over for Craig, but he deserves
mention here as the latest of a fine series of "M"s.

The Secret Vortex
Home of the Classic and Fantastic!
http://secretvortex.com